package shim-signed 1.34.9+13-0ubuntu2 failed to install/upgrade: installed shim-signed package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1

[Dave Eggleston]

Tried sudo dpkg --configure -a

Tried sudo rm /var/cache/debconf/*.dat, mentioned as a fix for a similar problem elsewhere

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04
Package: shim-signed 1.34.9+13-0ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.15.0-19.20-generic 4.15.17
Uname: Linux 4.15.0-19-generic x86_64
.proc.sys.kernel.moksbstate_disabled: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/proc/sys/kernel/moksbstate_disabled'
ApportVersion: 2.20.9-0ubuntu6
Architecture: amd64
Date: Tue Apr 24 22:28:58 2018
EFIBootMgr:
 BootCurrent: 0000
 Timeout: 2 seconds
 BootOrder: 0000
 Boot0000* ubuntu HD(1,GPT,8dbe3d08-b903-4769-8020-5d5e2265b92e,0x800,0xee000)/File(\EFI\ubuntu\shimx64.efi)
 Boot0002* debian HD(1,GPT,8dbe3d08-b903-4769-8020-5d5e2265b92e,0x800,0xee000)/File(\EFI\debian\grubx64.efi)
EFITables:
 Apr 24 22:30:05 mkbook kernel: efi: EFI v2.40 by American Megatrends
 Apr 24 22:30:05 mkbook kernel: efi: ACPI=0x6f5f0000 ACPI 2.0=0x6f5f0000 SMBIOS=0x6fd68000 SMBIOS 3.0=0x6fd67000 ESRT=0x6fcd7018 MEMATTR=0x6cd56298
 Apr 24 22:30:05 mkbook kernel: secureboot: Secure boot could not be determined (mode 0)
 Apr 24 22:30:05 mkbook kernel: esrt: Reserving ESRT space from 0x000000006fcd7018 to 0x000000006fcd7050.
ErrorMessage: installed shim-signed package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
InstallationDate: Installed on 2018-04-23 (1 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 18.04 LTS "Bionic Beaver" - Beta amd64 (20180404)
Python3Details: /usr/bin/python3.6, Python 3.6.5, python3-minimal, 3.6.5-3
PythonDetails: /usr/bin/python2.7, Python 2.7.15rc1, python-minimal, 2.7.15~rc1-1
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.19.0.5ubuntu2
 apt 1.6.1
SecureBoot: 6 0 0 0 0
SourcePackage: shim-signed
Title: package shim-signed 1.34.9+13-0ubuntu2 failed to install/upgrade: installed shim-signed package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

The error in your log is:

Setting up shim-signed (1.34.9+13-0ubuntu2) ...
Installing for x86_64-efi platform.
Could not delete variable: Invalid argument
grub-install: error: efibootmgr failed to register the boot entry: Block device required.
ESC[1mdpkg:ESC[0m error processing package shim-signed (--configure):
 installed shim-signed package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1

Your attached fstab information looks reasonable.

/dev/sda1 486456 4880 481576 2% /boot/efi

and your bug report shows that shim-signed had clearly been successfully installed previously, and that your system is booted in EFI mode.

However, something between grub and efibootmgr has failed when trying to access / update your firmware variables.

Reassigning to grub.

[Dave Eggleston (mirrorkill)]

Hi,

After a bit of reading, it occurred to me that it was looking for variables related to Secure Boot (moksbstate), when I didn't have Secure Boot enabled, although I was booting in UEFI; I was previously running Mint 18.x, which refused to boot at all with the NVidia drivers if Secure Boot was enabled.

So, I've now enabled Secure Boot, set the MOK, rebooted a couple of times, & all is now well, the shim-signed package has sorted itself out.

I don't know whether you feel this still merits attention as an edge case that could be handled a little more gracefully? but in this instance I'm now back in business & all is looking good.

Hope this helps,
Dave.